In The End
by silenced-and-blinded
Summary: **CHAPTER 2 UP!!** What happens when someone thinks they're a Galerian when they really aren't? Do they end up trying to destroy their own race, or can Rion make sure that awful scenario doesn't happen? R&R pls.
1. Things Get Complicated

  Disclaimer: Galerians isn't mine, and neither are any of the characters.  I only own Stacey, who is a creation of my little imagination.  R&R pls!!

    Stacey traced the circular carvings on the stone wall.  The room was small, and there was absolutely no lighting except for a small lantern on a stone that stuck out of the wall.  

   She knew she didn't belong there - she'd known that all along, but they told her 

differently.  They told her she was a Galerian, just like the rest of them, but she just couldn't bring herself to believe that she had been created there, like a robot.  But that's what they kept telling her.  She couldn't believe them, but then again, she had no recollection of anything before waking up in the Hands Of God.  Plus, she had psychic powers exactly like they did, only she had the strangest feeling she didn't belong with them.  What race did she belong to, humans or Galerians?  She wasn't sure, but she was set on finding out.

   She heard the footsteps again and sighed.  One of the guards was coming to take her back to her room.  Instead of a burly man with a mask and sniper rifle, she saw a blonde boy her age, clad in black leather.  Cain.

  "Stacey, what are you doing here again?" he asked.

  "Nothing," she replied coldly, taking her hand off the wall.

  "You still don't believe you're a Galerian, do you?" he asked with a mocking laugh, "I don't believe you."

  "Do you really expect me to believe that some...some giant robot-woman created me?  Do you really think I'm that stupid?!" she exclaimed as tears bit into her blue eyes.  

  Cain was a Galerian, but not just any Galerian.  He was leading the project to bring Mother back to life.  Mother was a giant super-computer, who was destroyed somehow, 

that supposedly created all of the Galerians, which she called her children.  Cain always 

knew where Stacey's buttons were, and just how to push them.

  "You wouldn't wanna be a human anyway," he said growing serious, "They're all so pathetic."

   Stacey raised an eyebrow.  "How would you know?"

   "I do.  Just trust me on that one."  He turned around and began to leave.  "Oh yeah, I have a job for you."

  "What kind of job?"

  "You'll see," he said, "Come on."

  She followed him out and down a short hall.  There was an open door on the left.  "In here," Cain said.  The room inside was dark and small.  A strange looking machine sat in the middle.  It was completely torn apart.  Wires from inside just hung out in a tangled mess.

   "This is the power mechanism to Mother.  If we can get this going, she'll be back in no time.  The only problem is that Birdman insisted on fixing it, but as you can see, he only made things worse."

   Stacey knelt down beside the machine, poking around at the inside parts, untangling the wires for the most part.  Then she stood up, shaking her head.   "The power's really, really low, and the entire breaker's shot."

   "Meaning…?"

   "It's not gonna be able to do the job you want it to do.  I wouldn't even waste my time 

if I were you," she said.

   "If I could somehow make it more powerful, would you be able to fix it then?" Cain 

asked.

   "Oh, I could fix it right now, it's just that if I did, it wouldn't work anyway.  If you 

can get about fifteen of these, then we'd be in business.  But for now, you're gonna have to find yourself another source of energy."

   "Any suggestions?"

   "Not really," she said, "If I come up with something, I'll let you know."

   "Wait a minute…you mean you're actually going to help me out?" he asked.

   "It's not like I have any other choice, right?  I may be a human, I may not.  But 

right now, the only family I know is all of you.  Besides, Mother sounds pretty cool, with the way all of you talk about her, I mean."

   Cain smiled warmly at her, something she'd never seen him do before, except when he 

was smiling due to the fact that he was ridiculing somebody.

   "Okay," he said, "Thanks."

   "You'd do the same for me, right?" Stacey asked.

   Cain hesitated for a moment.  "Sure I would…"

   Stacey smiled back.  "I'll head back to my room now.  See ya later."  She left the tiny room and headed down the hall.  

*   *   *

   "Did you get her to help us yet?" the red-haired girl asked in a silky voice.

   Cain didn't respond right away.

   "Cain!" she shouted.

   He jumped.  "Oh, yeah.  She agreed to help with the project."

   The girl, Rita, cocked her head to one side.  "You don't sound too happy about it."

   "Don't worry about me.  We have a job to do.  Rainheart, did you finish making the

new machine?"

    The chubby boy who was standing off to the side nodded.  "Yes, I did, Cain.  Do you 

want to see it now?" Rainheart asked quietly.

   "I need one of you to get Stacey for me.  Then you can show me," Cain said.

   "I'll do it," a boy with long raven hair said.  

   "Thanks, Birdman.  I'll meet you in the outer hallway."  

   Cain, Rita, and Rainheart went down one end of the hall, while Birdman went down the other.

   He knocked on her door twice.  "Who is it?" he heard her say.

   "Birdman."

   He heard her walk to the door and she opened it.  "What is it?"

   "Rainheart finished the new power supplying machine.  Cain wants ya to take a look at 

it."

   Stacey smiled.  "Okay."

   He led her down to where Cain and the others had gone, finally meeting up with them in

front of the door to the same small room as before.

   "Where's the machine?" Stacey asked when they got there.

   "Right in there," Rainheart said motioning to the room in front of them.

   They went in, just barely all fitting, and watched intently as Stacey checked over every 

aspect of the machine.  She looked at its exterior, the wires, and the panels, until finally standing up.  

   "Well?" Cain asked, almost impatiently.  

   She smiled at him.  "Looks good.  The energy level's high, everything seems to be in 

order, and I think it should be powerful enough to revive your super-computer Mother."

   Everyone smirked.  "Excellent," Rita said.

   "We still need to wait just a while longer before we use it, but for now, we're all set," 

Cain said.

   "You did a great job, Rainheart," Stacey said smiling at him.

   Rainheart blinked in surprise.  Being a Galerian, he wasn't use to kindness from people,

not even of his own kind.  "Th-thank you."

   "Well now that we know it works, we can rest assure that Mother will be back with us

soon," Birdman said.

*   *   *

 Two weeks had passed since then.  Cain had been refusing to try the power surge on

Mother for the longest time, until now.  

   "Cain, he still hasn't come yet," Rita said, "We can't do anything until he does!"

   "Well, I'm tired of waiting," Cain growled, "Rion or no Rion, we're reviving Mother tonight."

   "All right," Rita finally agreed, "I suppose you're right."

   "I'll get Stacey so she can do this," Cain said as he turned.  "Meet me in the Hands Of God."

*   *   *

   "Birdman, is that cable hooked up yet?" Stacey asked from her kneeling position beside 

the m                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                e giant robot-woman bulging from the wall.  Soon, 

everything stopped, and the robot-woman began to move.

   "M-mother?" Cain called stepping forward.

   The robot-woman sputtered at first like a broken record, but then was able to speak.  

"My children have resurrected me.  I'm so proud of you all," she said.

   "Dorothy?  Is that you?" Stacey asked in awe.  She was amazed at the intelligence of

this enormous super-computer in front of her.

   Dorothy seemed to look down at her in an adoring way.  "No, my dear, call me Mother.

For that is who I am: your mother."

   "I…I don't understand.  I've never understood all this."

   "She's been questioning her existence Mother," Rita said, "She must be punished for 

ever doubting that you created her."

   "No, a punishment will not be necessary, Rita.  She doesn't recall my creating of her.  

She must be given the facts about her origin.  I want you all to leave while I converse 

with her."

   "But Mother…," Cain began.

   "I'll speak with you later, Cain.  Right now, go."

   Rita, Birdman, Rainheart, and Cain left the Hands Of God.

   "Now my dear, what is it you would like to know?"

   Stacey sighed.  "Everything, I guess.  The furthest back I can remember is waking up here, in the Hands Of God."

   "This is where I created you."

   "But then….why do I sometimes feel like….I don't belong here, with the rest of the Galerians?"

   "I honestly do not know, sweetheart.  All of my children have different personalities

and emotions.  The only thing I insert is the missions.  The rest, I leave up to fate."

   "Missions?  What do you mean?"

   "I create all of my children with a special reason in mind.  So far, Cain, Rita, Birdman, and Rainheart have not completed their missions, and they most likely never will.

   "About one year ago, I was destroyed by a human - Rion Steiner.  Cain, Birdman,

Rita, and Rainheart were supposed to kill him, but his psychic powers became very, very strong - too strong, so they were never able to.  The impudent brat got away, and that's 

where you come in, Stacey.

   "All of my Galerians are clones of actual humans.  You are much different though.  I

created you by mixing together small amounts of DNA from myself, Cain, Rita, Birdman,

and Rainheart.  They are all a part of you.  You have the innocence of Rainheart, the

feminism of Rita, the mind, both psychic and non-psychic, of Cain, and the strength of Birdman.  From me, you have the robot in you, the Galerian.  This makes you my child.

You do not have to question that any longer."

   "Mother, you said my mission was to kill Rion.  What about that?"

   "He will come.  Don't question why or how.  But he will come and you are to destroy

him any way you have to.  I trust you will be able to do it."

   "I'm not too sure," Stacey said, "I don't think I'd actually be able to kill a person like that." 

   "He's not a person, he's a monster.  He destroyed me, your own Mother.  Aren't you 

going to avenge me?"

   Stacey thought a moment.  Killing him wouldn't be hard.  She didn't know him or 

anything.  Besides, what if Dorothy really did create her?  She had no reason to think any

different.  And even if she wasn't one of Dorothy's creations, who cared?  She had no memory of anything else anyway.  It would be like starting on a clean slate with life.

   "Yes, Mother.  I'll do it," Stacey finally said, "I'll kill Rion for you."  

*   *   *

Rion Steiner walked down the dark street, back toward the foster home he was kept at.

It was just about to rain; the sky was almost jet black, so he wanted to get indoors as

soon as possible.  

   He was only about a block and a half away when all of a sudden, a sharp, splitting pain 

shot through his head.  

   I can't be shorting, he thought, I've been taking medication to stop that.  

   He kept walking, shaking his head every now and then to try and shake away the pain 

he felt.  It's just a headache, he told himself.

   He got to the home just fine, but the pain still wouldn't stop gnawing at his head.  Miss Favella, the matron, noticed he was gripping his head so hard that his knuckles were turning white.  She rushed over to him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.  "Are you alright?!" she exclaimed.

Rion heard Miss Favella shout, "Quick!  Someone call an ambulance!" as he was sucked into darkness.

*     *     *

The ambulance sped through the streets, when all of a sudden, the driver spotted a dark figure standing in the middle of the road.  He kept going, hoping the person would move out of the way, but when it didn't, he swerved to the side and slammed on his brakes.  

   The figure came over to the driver's side window and smiled.  It was a man who had 

long dark hair, and two different colored eyes: one brown and one blue.  "I'll give you five hundred dollars if you let me take over for ya," he said.  

   The driver shot him a strange look.  "Get outta here!" he shouted over the thunder, "I

have a sick kid in here that I gotta take to the hospital!"

   The stranger didn't leave.  "I know.  Just get out and I won't hurt you."

   The driver was now hysterical.  "What do you want me to do?!  Lose my job?!" he 

exclaimed.

   The strange man smiled even bigger.  "Don't say I didn't warn you."  He raised his

left arm and shot a strange energy beam out of it.  It hit the driver in the head and he was

knocked unconscious instantly.  The dark haired man pulled the unconscious driver out and

onto the side of the road.  He then got in, turned the vehicle around, and sped off. 

*   *   *

   Rion opened his electric blue eyes, the strong lighting in the room hurting them until they

adjusted by dilating and expanding.  "Wh-where am I?" he asked himself as he sat up.  

He looked around, and immediately recognized where he was.  "The Mushroom Tower?"

He stood up and walked around, his mouth ajar at where he was again.  "What am I 

doing here?"

   He rubbed his hands together to keep warm; the room was extremely chilly.  He felt a 

small bump on his hand and examined it closely, finding a micro-sized puncture wound, 

looking to be from a needle.  "What did they do to me now?!" Rion exclaimed, his voice

echoing through the empty room.  "Whoever brought me here had better show their face 

right now!"

   A strange blue glow appeared in the middle of the room.  It started to take shape, and 

soon, a man with long dark hair stood before him.

   Rion's eyes widened.  "Birdman?!"

   "Don't look so surprised to see me, brat.  Everyone else is alive too, including Mother."

   "But how?!"

   "My little sister.  Her name's Stacey, and since she's being good and listening to Mother,

she's bent on destroying you.  I'd watch out if I were you, Rion."  Birdman chuckled 

and disappeared.

   "Stacey, huh?" Rion said to himself.

   Birdman's voice echoed through the room once again.  "Come to the Hands Of God and

see for yourself if you don't believe me."

   "The Hands Of God?  All right, Birdman.  I'll meet you there," he said with a growl.

*   *   *

   "He's on his way over here," Birdman said as he appeared in front of Dorothy.

   "Good.  Give her more medication," Dorothy said, "We can't have her like this while 

battling him."

   Stacey sat on the floor, her hands gripping her head until her knuckles were white.  Her

head was in dire pain because Rion was there.  They had both been given their powers using the same procedure, so the closeness caused their minds to overload, sort of like two positive sides of a battery coming together.   

   "M-mother…. when is the…pain going to…st-stop?" Stacey asked pitifully.  

   "Soon, Stacey.  As soon as your medication starts working.  Either that, or when your

mind gets used to the equally powerful psychic waves being given off by him.  It won't be long, I promise."

   "All r-right…"

   The sliding doors on the opposite end of the room opened and a blonde boy, looking 

exactly like Cain, walked in slowly.  The only differences were their clothing, Cain's hair was

slightly longer, and Rion's eyes were blue instead of green like Cain's.

   All of a sudden, Stacey stood.  The pain in her head had gone away.

   "Rion, welcome back," Dorothy said.

   "Where's this Stacey that's supposed to kill me?" he asked nastily. 

   "Stacey, this is who I cloned Cain from - Rion Steiner.  Your new enemy," Dorothy 

said.

   "So, you're Stacey," Rion said.

   "You bet.  I can't believe you tried to kill my Mother.  You're gonna pay."

   He looked closely at her.  He didn't sense any Galerian waves coming from her.  That's when he knew Stacey wasn't what she apparently thought she was.      

   "What are you talking about?!  This thing isn't your mother!" he exclaimed.

   "Shut up!!"  She raced at him with unmatched speed, slamming a green shockwave into

his chest.  He flew backward and sent a green shockwave back at her.  She stumbled back

and growled.

   "You have no idea who you're messing with!"  She swung her right arm across her front

and a blast of fire engulfed Rion.  It soon disappeared and he mirrored her attack.

   "You've got to listen to me!" he shouted, "You're not what you think you are!"

   "I said shut up!"  She shot another fire blast at him.  

   "Stacey, stop it!  You have no idea what you're doing!"

   He began walking toward her slowly, having no intention of attacking her again.  

   "Stacey, what are you waiting for?" Dorothy growled, "Kill him!"

   "No, Stacey.  I'm not your enemy.  Just…listen to me.  Please."

   Stacey hesitated, but then shot a green shockwave at him.  He stumbled back, but still

didn't counter anything.

   "Why should I believe you?  You're just afraid I'm gonna kill you so you're trying to

talk your way out of it."

   "But you're a human, just like me!  Why don't you understand that?!"

   "Humans are pathetic.  It's as simple as that."

   She raised her arm and a blue aura formed around Rion and he was lifted into the air.

"Am I really just like you, Rion?"  She slammed her arm down to her side and Rion fell

to the floor.

   "Stacey, kill him already!" Dorothy shouted, "You're wasting time!"

   "I'll do it when I'm ready," Stacey answered cockily.

   Cain, Rita, Birdman, and Rainheart looked at each other.  None of them dared to ever

talk like that to Mother, but she didn't seem to be angered by Stacey's comment.  "Alright.

Birdman and Rainheart, take him into the cell downstairs."

   "But Mother…" Cain began.

   "Just do it.  Rita, Stacey, and Cain, leave immediately."    

   When they were outside of the room, Cain turned to Stacey.  "I don't believe you."

   She narrowed her eyes at him.  "What are you talking about?"

   "You know what I'm talking about," he said.

   "Oh…that," she sneered, "At least I'm doing what I'm supposed to do.  You guys

failed Mother miserably."

   "You have no idea what you're talking about.  Mother doesn't like you best," Rita

said.

   Stacey turned to her.  "Yes she does.  You never kicked the crap outta him like that,

did you?" 

   Rita and Cain glanced at her other.  

   "I didn't think so," she said with a smirk.  Then she left.

*   *   *

   Rion sat with his back against the wall and his knees drawn up to his chest.  "What in

the world did I ever do to deserve this?"  He sighed.

   "That's an easy one.  You're trying to hurt Mother," Stacey said coming down the steps.

   "What do you want?" he asked not moving, "Haven't you done enough?"

   "No, because I didn't kill you yet."

   He glared at her.  "You still think you're a Galerian, don't you?"

   She laughed lightly.  "You know, that's exactly what Cain asked me a while ago, only

it was the exact opposite.  He asked if I still didn't think I was a Galerian."

   "You thought you were a human?"

   She shrugged.  "For a while.  But then, Mother explained everything to me, including

you and all the other humans out there."

   "How do know she's not lying?" Rion asked

   "Because I do.  She wouldn't lie to me."

   "But you don't know that!"

   "Just shut up!" she cried as she backhanded him across the face.  "I don't wanna hear

you say that ever again!"

   His lip bled as he spoke.  "So, you still don't believe me?  How do you think I know 

all that I know?"

   "What did I tell you?!"  She hit him again.

   "I can prove it to you."  He was beginning to slur his words now, and the blood ran 

down his face.

   She stood there panting, trying to decide whether to hit him or listen to him.  She decided

on the latter.

   "What do you mean?  How?"  She spoke more calmly this time.

   He wiped the blood from his mouth and continued.  "I can prove to you that everything

they've been telling you is a lie.  Just help me get out of here."

   She shook her head.  "No, you're lying."

   "Stacey, please!  I know how this happened, and I know how confused you are, and

that's because it happened to me, too.  Why won't you just listen to me?"

   "It's you against all of them, Rion.  How can I trust you just like that?"

   "I know.  But, don't you think I'd fight back if I thought you were a Galerian?"

   She thought for a moment.  "You have to be lying.  Why do I have powers like they do then?!" she shouted.

            "Stacey, I have them too, but I wasn't _born_ with them!  I was experimented on and they were given to me!  That goes for you too!"

            She was so confused.  She didn't know what to believe.  She didn't want to admit that what he said made sense, but she still couldn't be sure.  "Rion… I don't know.  I'm sorry but I have to think about this."

            He nodded.  "I understand."  And she left.


	2. Things Get A Bit More Complicated...

Galerians: In The End

**Chapter Two**

She had made up her mind.  She was going to let Rion go.  Even if he never came back with his so-called "proof", it wouldn't matter.  She'd hunt him down like a dog if she had to.  But she just _had _to know if what he said was true.

When she got down to the cell, she found Rion slumped against the wall.  He looked up when he heard her footsteps.  She saw he had dark circles under his eyes and his lips were a pale blue.  She walked over slowly and knelt down beside him.  It was so cold in the room – she began shivering immediately.

   She put a hand against his face.  It felt colder than ice.  She stood up and looked around the dark basement to try and find a blanket or something to cover him with.  There was nothing.

   "Hold on.  I'll be right back, I promise."

   She went back up to her room.  She pulled two blankets off her cot and began 

to head back towards the stairs.  Cain came up behind her.  "Where do you think you're

going?" 

   She turned around, not thinking there was anything wrong with what she was doing.  

"I'm taking these down to Rion, why?"

   "You'd better not.  What were you doing down there in the first place?!" he exclaimed.

   "But he's freezing!  He'll die of hypothermia down there!" she countered.

   "That's the point!  It's your job to kill him, remember?"

   "I don't have to listen to you.  It's none of your business anyway!" Stacey cried.

   Cain punched her in the jaw.  "You do have to listen to me.  Ever since your little 

chat with Mother, you think you own this place!"

   She wiped the blood from her lips and punched him back, mirroring her injury.  "Don't

you dare hit me ever again, got it?"

   He smiled, despite the throbbing pain in his lips.  "You mean like this?"  He backhanded her and sent her to the floor.

   "Why are you doing this?!" she asked.

   "Why shouldn't I?" he asked lowly.  "You know why you don't know what's 

going on?  It's because you're too much of a wuss to know the truth, that's why!"

   "What do you mean the truth?!  You'd better tell me, Cain!"  She stood up.

   "It's none of my business, remember?" he said.  He hit her again and began to walk 

away.  "Oh yeah, and don't think I won't find out if you're stabbing us in the back, Stacey.  I'm keepin' my eye on you."

   She picked up the two blankets she had dropped and continued her way back down to 

where Rion was.  

   "I'm sorry it took me so long.  I…ran into Cain and…and he didn't really want me to 

bring you these."

   He smiled as much as he could up at her.

   She took the two blankets and wrapped them around his shoulders.  "You'll be warm in

no time."  She stood up and looked around.  "I wonder why it's so cold in here…"  She 

saw a large hole in the very corner of the room where all the cold air was seeping in.  "I

don't think I can cover that up.  Maybe I should take you up to my room where it's 

warmer, just 'til I can get you outta here."

   "N-no.  You'll j-jut get in m-more tr-trouble that way."

   She smiled.  "Don't worry about me.  I can take care of myself.  Now come on."

   She helped him stand up and they went upstairs.  "Cain's gone," she whispered, "Let's

go."  She led him down the many halls to her room.

   "There.  We're safe.  Nobody will just walk in.  At least they have _some_ manners."

She noticed Rion had stopped shivering.  "You alright now?"

   "Yeah, I'm fine.  Thank you."  He smiled.

   She did too, but then it faded.  "I'm only lettin' you go 'cause I wanna know what's going on."

   "Well, I know you're not a Galerian, so I'll find _something_."

   "Why are you doing this?  I mean, I tried to kill you before and now…now you're 

trying to help me.  I don't get it."

   "You're not used to people being honest with you, are you?" he asked.

   "I guess not.  But then again, _you_ could be lying to me too."

   "I'm not, though.  But at least you trust me enough to have come this far."

   She thought a bit, seeing he was right.  "Yeah well…  You'd just better not stab me

in the back, Rion."

   His eyes flickered with sincerity.  "I think you know I wouldn't do that."

   "I don't know anything anymore.  I thought _you_ knew that."  She was beginning 

to get catty again.  

   "Look, I'm only trying to help you, can't you see that?  Not everyone's like them,

you know."

   "Don't talk about them like that!" she cried, "Not until I know for sure I'm not one of them."

   "Stacey, don't you think I heard what went on between you and Cain?  I heard what

he told you.  He told you to your face you don't know the truth.  What do you think

he meant by that?!"

   "That's none of your business!" she shouted.

   "It _is_ my business when _I'm_ the only one who can stop you from trying to destroy a 

race _you're_ a part of!"

   "Just shut up!" she yelled, "If you don't shut up right now I swear I'm puttin' you back in

that oversized freezer and leavin' you there until you freeze to death!"

   "Go ahead," he said coolly, "Believe me, you'd be doing me a favor."

   She knew she wouldn't be able to put him back down there.  Not even if he was lying to

her.  She looked out the window, seeing the sun had finally set.

   "If you're gonna go, you'd better go now.  As long as the spotlight in the courtyard

isn't on, none of the guards are there yet either.  You have about ten minutes until they go

on patrol.  I'll cover for you until you get back." 

   "You still believe me?"

   "I have to.  I have to know what and who I am.  And you're the only one who

can tell me."

   Rion nodded.  "Okay.  I'll be back in no time.  I promise."

   "Alright."

   And he left.

*   *   *

   Stacey walked past the open door to the Hands Of God, when Dorothy beckoned her to

come in.  "I want to speak with you."

   "What is it, Mother?" Stacey asked, hoping it didn't have anything to do with the 

disappearance of Rion.

   "Cain told me you were down in Rion's room.  What were you doing?" 

   "I wanted to make sure he was suffering the way he should."

   "I see…  You are telling me the truth, aren't you?"

   Stacey tried not to sound hesitant.  "Of course I am, Mother.  You don't think I

would ever disobey you, do you?"

   Dorothy didn't speak right away.  "I suppose not.  But please, do not go down there

ever again unless I tell you to, alright?"

   "Yes Mother."

   "You may go now."

   When she got to her room, she let out a sigh of relief.  "It's a good thing no one knows

he's gone yet," she said to herself, "Maybe they never will.  He'd just better hurry up."

   Cain leaned against the doorway.  "What was that…sis?"

   "Cain!"

   He sauntered further into the room.  "So you _are_ hiding something from us.  Care to

share what it is with your brother?"

   "You're not my brother, even if I am a Galerian.  A brother is someone who actually

_cares_ for their siblings.  You on the other hand, couldn't care less what happens to me."

   "That really hurts, Stacey.  Almost as much as it hurt when Mother chose Rion over

me to carry out one of the missions."

   "What do you mean?  Rion's not a Galerian…is he?"

   "I bet you'd like to know, wouldn't you?" he asked mischievously.

   "Cain, please.  I want to know the truth."

   "You know you're only purpose is to aid Mother, right?  Then that's all you need to know.  Oh yeah, I already know you let Rion go."

   "How did you find out?!"

   Cain smirked.  "Heh heh…'cause you just told me, sis!"

   She let out a groan and buried her face in her hands.  

   "But don't worry little sister.  I won't tell Mother, but only because I wanna watch you squirm trying to keep it from her yourself.  As far as I know, Rion's still down there freezing."

   "Well, thank you…for not telling her, I mean."

   "Yeah sure…whatever you say."  He left.

*   *   *

   Two days had passed since Rion left.  Stacey's biggest problem was keeping that fact 

from all the other Galerians - especially Mother.  As far as she knew, the only person 

besides herself who knew about it was Cain, and she wasn't especially worried about him

saying anything.

   She now sat at the small window in her room.  The sun was setting, ending the second

day of her "friend's" absence.  If he were coming back that night, he'd be there anytime starting then.  

   She chewed a tasteless piece of gum anxiously.  "Rion…where are you?" she asked no

one in particular.

   Simultaneously, she saw a figure running towards her outside, and she heard a knock at 

her door.  "Uh…h-hold on…" She knew the figure was Rion's, but she had to find a way

to tell him it wasn't safe to come in just yet.  

   The person knocked again.  "Stacey, it's Rainheart.  Please open the door.  Mother is going to be very angry with you."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

   "Oh no," she said to herself.  _Does Mother know Rion's out there?_ she thought.

   She went over and opened the door.  "I'm really sorry, Rainheart.  I was, uh…

putting my…um…pajamas on."

   Rainheart smiled politely.  "That's okay.  Anyway, Mother wants me to tell you to 

shut your light off.  It's after hours."

   Stacey gave an inward sigh of relief.  "That's all?  Okay, I will.  Tell her I'm sorry."

   "Okay.  Goodnight, Stacey."

   "'Night Rainheart."

   She closed the door.  She would wait five minutes until she was sure everyone was asleep.

Then she would get Rion.

*   *   *

   "What took you so long?" Rion asked as Stacey trotted up to him.  She was able to see her breath right away, and she felt bad for leaving him out there for such a long time.  

   "I know, I'm sorry.  Rainheart was at my door, so you couldn't come up."

   He smiled warmly.  "That's okay.  I'm sure I'll live."

   "Alright but we'd better keep it down.  I only waited five minutes after he left to come get you."

   He followed close behind her as they crept toward the dark luminous building. Everything inside was dark, so they were able to make their way back to Stacey's room without being detected by anyone.

   She let out a sigh as they both sat down.  "So?  Do you have you proof?" she asked almost sarcastically.

   "I didn't let you down."  He pulled a folded sheet of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her.  "It's all there."

   She unfolded it and saw it was two columns of names.  In one column were strange names, and in the other, normal first and last names.  "Sandria, Malixx, Geneva…  What is this?"

   Rion smiled satisfactorily.  "You don't see your name on there, do you?"

   She looked through the list one more time.  When she got to the bottom, she saw Cain, Rainheart, Birdman, and Rita, but not her own name.  "No…why isn't it?"

   "Because that's a list of all the Galerians Dorothy created.  I got it off one of the computers at the Michealangelo Memorial Hospital.  You're not on there, and I'm not on there, so what does that tell you?" 

   "I don't believe it," she said quietly, "I really…am a human…"  

   "That's what I've been trying to tell you this whole time - you're _not_ a Galerian!"

   Stacey stared at the paper in disbelief for a long time, a million thoughts streaming 

through her head at one time.  "Well, what are we gonna do?"

    "We have to find out what Dorothy's up to and stop her.  _That's_ what we have to do."

    "We can't do that!  _She_ thinks _I_ think I'm a Galerian."

    "None of that matters anymore Stacey.  You're on the other side of this - the human side."

    "This is just so confusing," she said putting her head in her hands, "What am I 

supposed to do?"

    "Believe me, I know what it's like.  But you have your proof now.  You know who

you are and what you're supposed to do."

    "And that would be what, Mr. Know-It-All?!"

    "Destroy Mother and the Galerians.  It's as simple as that."

    "How can you act like this?!"

    He was taken aback.  "Like what…?"

    "You're so calm about all this.  You must think this real is easy for me don't you,

Rion?  I may not be a Galerian, but….but Dorothy is just like my real mother."

    "What are you saying?  She's just a computer.  She's _nobody's mother_."

    "But she created all those Galerians.  Sure she didn't give birth to them, but, I mean, 

she said that she created me.  She went into such detail, that it sounds like it really could've happened."

    "The only reason she told you all that is because she wants to follow the Family 

Program.  She…"

    Before he could continue, Stacey cut him off.  "I don't even know what you're

talking about!  Just…just leave me alone."

    "I can't just leave and go on with my life.  I have a job to do.  Whether you come

with me or not……it doesn't really matter.  I'd be killing another human being, but….

it would be _your_ choice."

    "A….a job to do?  What do you mean?"  Her voice was quiet now.

    "I'll tell you once we get out of here.  That is….if you still _do_ want to get out of

here."

    She thought a bit.  Then she smiled.  "Of course.  I made you a promise, right?  A

promise that I'd get you outta here.  If that means I have to go with you, well then,

that's what I'll do."

    "I'll tell you everything as soon as we leave.  About the Galerians, Dorothy…"

    "Let's not talk about that now.  We'd just better get some rest."

    "But…"

    "But what?"

    Rion motioned to the single bed in the room.  "There's only one bed, and…"

    Neither of them felt comfortable sharing a _bed_ together, so Stacey said, "You take it.

I'll sleep on the floor."

    "I couldn't do that.  The floor's cold, and…"

    "Be quiet and lie down.  I'll be fine.  Just go to sleep."

    "You sound like my mother," he said with a smile as he got under the covers.

    Stacey smiled warmly too, the moonlight making her eyes glitter.  "Did your mother

ever give you a goodnight kiss?"

    He blinked.  "I…guess so."  He said sounding uncomfortable.

    She leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips.  "Goodnight," she whispered as she

laid down on the floor, taking one of the pillows and a blanket with her.

    He looked down at her and smiled.  "Goodnight."  


End file.
